Cigarette dispenser



March 21, 1939. R, H, COLOMY 2,151,315

CIGARETTE DISPENSER Filed Nov. 18, 1936 INVENTOR Ear h. 601.011

ATTO R N EY Patented Mar. 21, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in cigarette dispensers.

Heretofore various cigarette dispensers have been proposed, and some of these have been quite successfully received by the trade. However, most of these previously proposed structures were somewhat cumbersome, and were costly to manufacture.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a very simple cigarette dispenser, having very few parts, which can be manufactured very economically.

A feature resulting from the attainment of this object is the provision of a cigarette dispenser comprising only two parts. One of these parts is a base, made of wood, Bakelite or any other desirable material, which pivotally supports a cigarette storage container.

In many of the previously proposed cigarette dispensers special spring mechanisms were provided adapted to work directly upon individual cigarettes or the entire group of cigarettes in a container to eject the same. Such proposals have the disadvantage of failing to work properly when tobacco particles accumulate in the section of the device normally occupied by the spring or the usual movable pad associated with the spring. Also, in some cigarette dispensers where a spring and spring pad structure is provided it is desir able to have the spring as light as possible in order to prevent crushing cigarettes. Because of the light pressure initially built into such spring mechanisms there have been instances where the spring failed to lift or otherwise eject the cigarettes shortly after the device was put into use and especially when even a little resistance was imposed thereon as by slight particles of tobacco.

It is an object of the present invention to provide' a cigarette dispenser in which there is no 40 need to provide spring structures working directly upon a cigarette or cigarettes to eject the same.

Features flowing from the attainment of this latter object include the provision of a structure adapted to effect the delivery of cigarettes, one at a time, by gravity; such structure including a simple storage container adapted to house a plurality of cigarettes and to deposit one cigarette to a depositing channel each time the container is pivotally moved relative to a base.

With some forms of cigarette dispensers heretofore proposed parts of the dispenser would be left in an open position when a cigarette was ejected, allowing warm circulating air in a room to adversely get at and dry out the cigarettes in the device.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a cigarette dispenser in which the storage container for the plurality of cigarettes will be fully enclosed, to prevent the cigarettes from drying out adversely, at all times.

The present invention includes the feature of a cigarette storage container enclosed fully when in depositing or nonwithdrawal position as well as when in nondepositing or withdrawal position.

Other features flowing from the above objects and from the present invention include the provision of novel spring means adapted to automatically return the cigarette storage container into a normal nondepositing or nonwithdrawal position, respectively; novel stops to limit movement of the container into the depositing and to the nondepositing positions; and, the provision of a novel structure adapted to carry a cigarette to a depositing position and to roll the cigarette automatically from the depositing position to a pickup position.

Other objects, features and advantages will appear hereinafter.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the simplest form of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a side view, partly in section, of that form of the invention shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary View disclosing a structure for automatically returning the storage container to the nonwithdrawal position.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of a slightly modified structure somewhat like that shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of a modified form of dispensing arrangement, wherein the cigarettes are moved one by one to a depositing position and automatically rolled into a pickup position.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary and sectional view of the pivot for that form of cigarette dispenser disclosed in Figs. 1 and. 2.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, the simplest and present preferred form of the invention, shown in Figs. 1 and 2, comprises a base l0 including a plate-like bottom I I and an upper delivery block l2. The base may be made of wood, Bakelite, metal or any other desired material, for economy or to achieve various ornamental effects. Preferably the base is made with the bottom and delivery block integral. ever, these two sections may be made separately and glued or otherwise secured together as at l3.

Now, of particular importance, the base I0 pivotally supports a storage container l 4', preferably of rectangular shape including walls l5, Hi,

Howr I! and 8 adapted to house a plurality of cigarettes 2B. The container is preferably made to accommodate a usual pack of twenty cigarettes and a few extras which may be remaining in the container previous to a reloading. As shown in Fig. 2, the walls of the container may be made of lightweight and inexpensive metal.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 6, the walls I! and I8 are provided with integral fingers 2| extending down over the ends 22 and 23 of the block |2 to locate the container l4 laterally relative to the block I2. Also, these fingers 2| are preferably provided with integral embossed projections 24 adapted to snap into depressions 25 in the ends 22 and 23, thus providing a pivot connection 26 at the ends 22 and 23 of the block l2. This pivot connection may be very economically manufactured since the pivot parts are formed by the container and by the block. The pivot connections 26 on the fingers 2| and the walls and It! may be comparatively loose, or by having the projections 24 narrower relative to each other than the spacing between the depressions 25 on the ends 22 and 23 sufiicient friction may be provided to maintain the storage container M in any position it is moved to on the base l0.

Although not absolutely essential a cover 21 may be provided at the top of the storage container M to fully enclose the cigarettes 20 therein.

The block i2 is provided with a depositing channel 28 including a slot extending longitudinally across the top of the block |2 as may be seen best in Fig. 2. Normally the storage container I4 is in a vertical and nonwithdrawal position relative to the base as shown by solid lines in Figs. 1 and 2 whereupon one of the cigarettes in the container will roll or drop into the depositing channel 28 shown in Fig. 2. The fingers 2| fully enclose the cigarette in the depositing channel 28 while the storage container is in the nonwithdrawal position. Thus, the walls, top, block and fingers form a substantially airtight container. It will be apparent that all the cigarettes 20 in the storage container will be fully enclosed against drying, and will be kept fresh and moist at all times.

The pivot connection 28 allows the storage container Hi to be moved pivotally into the withdrawal positions A and/or 13 shown by dot and dash lines 30 and 3! respectively in Fig. 2. When. the storage container is moved into either withdrawal position the container is moved entirely clear of the depositing slot 28 so that it is possible to pick up the one cigarette lying therein for use. Even inv the withdrawal position cigarettes in the: storage container are fully enclosed, by the cover 21 at the top and by the side wall I2 of the block l2 at the bottom.

The cigarette dispenser so far described is preferably arranged so that the storage container isnormally in the vertical position shown so that a cigarette 20 is exposed each time the container is moved to the A and/ or B positions. However, it will work equally satisfactorily to dispense a cigarette if the container is normally in the A position and is swung into the B position or vice versa.

Fig. 3 discloses a slightly modified form of the present invention substantially like the dispenser of Figs. 1 and 2, but including a fiat spring 32 suitably secured in a channel 33 in a base |fla with the upper end fitting into a slotted lug 34 lanced out of the side of the finger 2|. Preferably the lower end of the spring 32 is provided with a curled section 35 fitting into a round channel 33a while the flat section of the spring is at its lower end prevented from turningby upstanding lugs 36 preferably made integral with the base Illa. The upper end of the spring is normally bowed into: the position shown by dot and dash lines 38 whenever the storage container M is moved to a dispensing or withdrawal position and the spring normally causes the container to return to the upright or nonwithdrawal position when released. Fig. 3 also discloses a modified form of pivot connection merely including screws or studs 39 passed through the fingers 2| at both sides of the storage container into the block l2.

Fig. 4 is very similar to: Fig. 3. However, it shows a slightly modified form of spring structure 49 for returning the storage container to the nonwithdrawal position. This form of the invention includes a spring 4| of an inverted substantially T-shaped form held on the base I!) by a screw 42 and including upstanding fingers 43 and 44 engaging ears 45 and 46 respectively lanced outwardly on the finger 2|.

Fig. 5 shows a slightly modified form of depositing arrangement. The general construction is the same as that hereinbefore described in detail in connection with Figs. 1 and 2. The main point of difierence is the provision of a depositing slot 28a and/or 28b at the sides instead of at the top of the block I2. Preferably the bottom is provided with a slightly curved section Ila forming a pocket of pickup channel 6 to receive the cigarette. Also, the depositing slots 28a and 2812 are preferably provided with slightly angular and downwardly inclined walls so that the cigarette will roll by gravity from the channel 28a into the pickup channel I lb. A pickup channel similar to ||b may be made coextensive with the angular Wall 50 if so desired.

Either of the spring arrangements shown in Figs. 3 and 4 may be used for that form of the invention shown in Fig. 5 just described in detail.

The structure shown in Fig. 5 is advantageous when the spring means of Figs. 3 and 4 are used since it is not necessary to remove the cigarette from the depositing channel 28a or 28b while the storage container M is held in a position against the pressure of the springs or even when the container is returned to its normal vertical position.

Movement and stopping of the storage contalner |4 into the nondepositing positionis effected by the spring structures disclosed and described in connection with Figs, 3 and 4. Movement of the storage container l4 into the depositing positions may be limited by pins 49 shown in Figs. 1 and 2, by the slight shoulders or walls 41 on the end wall 22 as shown in Fig. 3, or by the lower edge 48 of the container engaging the angular wall 50.

Other variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the present invention, and portions of the improvements maybe used without others.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a cigarette dispenser the combination of a base having a depositing channel and a pickup channel at a lower level than said depositing channel; a downwardly inclined wall defining said depositing channel and extending toward said pickup channel; and a storage container having a bottom opening, pivotally mounted on said base and movable into depositing and nondepositing positions relative to said depositing channel; said container and said base alone maintaining a cigarette in said depositing channel, whereby a cigarette may roll by gravity from the depositing channel to the pickup channel when said storage container is pivoted away from said depositing channel.

2. In a cigarette dispenser the combination of a base having a depositing channel and a pickup channel at a lower level than said depositing channel; downwardly inclined means extending from said depositing channel toward said pickup channel; and a storage container having a bottom opening being disposed above said base and movable relative thereto to deposit a cigarette in said depositing channel; said container and said base alone maintaining a cigarette in said depositing channel; whereby a cigarette may roll by gravity from the depositing channel to the pickup channel when said storage container is moved away from said depositing channel.

3. In a cigarette dispenser the combination of a base having a depositing and a pickup channel at a lower level than said depositing channel; a downwardly inclined surface extending from said depositing channel to said pickup channel; a storage container having a bottom opening pivotally secured to said base so as to oscillate about said base for depositing a cigarette in said depositing channel, said base fully closing said bottom opening when said container is in normal and nondepositing position, whereby a cigarette may roll by gravity from the depositing channel to the pickup channel when said container is pivoted away from said depositing channel.

ROY H. COLOMY. 

